ExpatInsure

What ExpatInsure is

ExpatInsure is a broker and comparison service, not an insurer. It does not carry risk or pay claims itself: a buyer who goes through it ends up holding a policy from one of the insurers it compares. The footer on every page says ExpatInsure "is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA No. 1016177)", the UK regulator, which is the one regulatory line the site gives.

Its guide page describes the company as "more than a comparison site", made up of real people, many of them expats themselves, who help buyers choose cover. The homepage runs the comparison engine that sits beside that service. It asks which country the visitor is moving to, promises a "Quote in 60 Seconds" after a short form, and says buyers can "Review quotes from up to nine established international insurers." It names some of them by way of example: "Cigna Global, Allianz Care, Bupa Global, BlueCross BlueShield, AXA Health and more." Under the heading "Our Panel of A-Rated Insurers" the homepage shows its panel, and it says the firm compares plans "based on cover, benefits, excesses and exclusions".

The homepage also carries a price guarantee: "You won't find the same policy cheaper direct. If you do, we'll match it. Terms apply." It says its service is "Rated 5 stars by our customers" and describes its advisers as combining specialist insurance knowledge with first-hand understanding of expat life. A partner spotlight points expats to HSBC Expat for banking; that is a referral, not an insurance product.

What the plans it compares cover

ExpatInsure describes the international health plans it compares in general terms rather than as one house product. The guide page says its panel of worldwide insurers offers cover in 200 countries, and that a buyer can choose between basic emergency care and a comprehensive plan with routine check-ups, dental, vision, and maternity and pregnancy benefits. The homepage groups the cover it arranges into three types: individual plans for people working, studying or living abroad, family plans for households moving together, and plans for people with pre-existing conditions, which it describes as "specialised coverage". It also presents itself as visa insurance specialists who help buyers find cover that meets the health insurance requirements for visas, residency permits and long-term stays. The specific limits, deductibles and exclusions come from whichever insurer's plan is quoted, and the site says its advisers walk buyers through "coverage extent, premiums, deductibles, and exclusions" during the quote.

For shorter trips, the travel page is aimed at US residents and sends buyers to "buy directly from our partner, Blue Cross Blue Shield." It presents four options. The Premier Travel Insurance policy (Worldwide) is described as offering "coverage up to the age of 95", covering pre-existing conditions and giving access to a US-based call center while abroad. The Single Trip option uses GeoBlue policies for a long single stay, part of the BlueCross BlueShield network, with a US call center offering round-the-clock support. A Student Travel option uses a GeoBlue policy for a semester or a full college year. A Group Travel option lets an organizer "pay one premium" while ExpatInsure issues an individual travel policy to each member, from church groups to sports tours. For trips longer than six months, the page sends buyers to a separate quote.

How buying works

The purchase starts with the homepage quote form: pick the destination country, complete a short form and compare the quotes returned. The site then pairs the tool with a person. It says a "Dedicated Personal Advisor" will explain the options, answer questions and help the buyer choose, and a "Book A Call" link sits in the main menu. The guide page adds that the team will help with understanding policy terms and, in the event of a claim, provide information and contact details; the claim itself is decided by the insurer. The Group Travel option is arranged by booking a call rather than buying online, while the Premier, Single Trip and Student options carry "Buy Now" buttons.

The guide page names the audiences it writes for: young professionals starting out abroad, overseas students, retirees and families moving together. The site backs this with a large reference section. Country insurance guides cover Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand in Asia, Canada, Mexico and the USA in North America, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK in Europe, and Dubai in the Middle East. The site also carries buying guides aimed at overseas students, buyers over 50, seniors and retirees, and a jargon buster that defines "The Top 50 Words in International Expat Healthcare", from premium, deductible, co-payment and coverage limit to waiting period, pre-existing condition and out-of-pocket maximum. Those definitions are general and attach to no specific plan.

The blog is written for American expats. Recent posts cover how Italy's regionally run public health system affects newcomers, health insurance for Italy's flat tax regime and its Elective Residence Visa, how the French Carte Vitale works, whether Medicare covers a retiree in Italy, whether visas require proof of health insurance, what happens to cover on returning to the US, how expat premiums change year to year, which documents an application needs, and whether a plan can be switched while living abroad. Several of those posts label themselves general information only.

Prices and terms

The site prints no premium for any plan it compares or for the BlueCross BlueShield and GeoBlue travel policies; prices come from the quote form or an adviser. The nine insurers are illustrated by name rather than listed in full.

Who it suits

ExpatInsure fits a US-based reader who wants a quote tool that returns several large international insurers side by side and a human adviser to go through the fine print, and who is comfortable dealing with a UK-regulated broker. It fits someone shopping for more than one kind of cover at once, since the same site arranges long-term international health plans, BlueCross BlueShield and GeoBlue travel policies, student cover and group trips. The age-95 ceiling and the pre-existing cover are terms the travel page states for the Premier Travel policy, not for the GeoBlue options. Readers who want to see prices before giving their details, or who prefer to buy straight from an insurer, will find the site built around the quote form and the adviser call.